Dian Sastrowardoyo

Diandra Paramitha Sastrowardoyo- better known as Dian Sastrowardoyo- started her career as a cover girl in Gadis teen magazine 10 years ago. Her second film Pasir Berbisik (Whispering Sands) in 2001 boosted her popularity and won her the best actress award at the 15th Singapore International Film Festival and the Asian Film Festival in Deauville, France both in 2002.

The latest endeavor of this philosophy graduate is to host the Indonesian version of “Who wants to be a millionaire?”

"I want to teach at the University of Indonesia’s school of philosophy," she mused.

To take drugs or not to take drugs? That is the question.

Anggun: Indonesia’s most precious export

There aren’t many Indonesian singers who have made it big overseas.

But Anggun is one of them.


With her highly seductive voice and stunning good looks, she is absolutely massive in France, and fairly popular in a number of other countries too, even if she is virtually unheard of in the US.

Anggun began performing at the age of seven and recorded her first album two years later. By the time she was 17, she was already a national rock star in Indonesia.

She left Indonesia at 19, and headed for France in the hope of making it big in Europe.

In France her considerable charms won over the music producer Erick Benzi who offered to work with her on her new album.

Benzi steered Anggun away from her original rock influences, encouraging her to adopt a more sensual and jazzy sound.

But it was her huge 1997 hit Neige au Sahara (Snow on the Sahara) that really propelled her to stardom in her adopted country. From then on she never looked back.

Her success culminated in the award of the prestigious "Chevalier des Arts et Lettres" for her worldwide achievements and contributions toward French culture.

And the release of 2005’s Luminescence has won her an even wider following, with the infectious single In my Mind getting a lot of airplay across Europe.

Anggun is now married to Oliver Maury, a Canadian, after divorcing her first husband Michel Georgea.

Long may she rule!

Discography
Dunia Aku Punya, in Indonesian (1986)
Anak Putih Abu-Abu, in Indonesian (1991)
Nocturno, in Indonesian (1992)
Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!!, in Indonesian (1993)
Yang Hilang, in Indonesian (1994)
Au Nom De La Lune, in French (1997)
Snow on the Sahara (1998)
Desirs Contraires, in French (2000)
Chrysalis (2000)
Anggun (2000)
Open Heart Original Sountrack (2002)
Luminescence (2005)

Miss Indonesia Artika Sari Devi

Artika Sari Devi is beautiful and clever. She's also proud of her country and wants to help underprivileged children.

A national icon then. Someone to admire and applaud.

Well, not exactly. Because this beauty queen is also hated by some small-minded people for her indefensible crime of, er, appearing in the 2005 Miss Universe beauty pageant wearing a swimsuit!

This was the first time in nearly a decade that an Indonesian had appeared in the contest. And it caused a fair amount of controversy, with protests staged by some Indonesian Muslim groups.

The Indonesia Ulemas Council even called the contest "pornography."

And this after the poor girl even made the concession not to wear a more revealing bikini.

But as Artika says, the contest is about more than just clothes.

And if it comes downs to brains, there is one thing that is certain: she’s a lot cleverer than the idiots who criticize her!

Emma Waroka Hawkins

Trans TV’s Fenomena does a great job in unveiling the sordid underbelly of life in the capital city Jakarta.

From women who like tattoos to college girls who are looking to earn a little extra cash, the show has covered an incredible range of topics in recent months.

Not only that but the show is presented by the incredibly sexy Emma Waroka Hawkins.


Trans TV. Wednesdays at midnight. Don’t miss it!!!

Angelina Sondakh: not so clever

Oh, Angie, don't you weep, all your kisses still taste sweet
I hate that sadness in your eyes
With no loving in our souls and no money in our coats
But angie, angie, ain't it time we said good-bye?
You can't say we're satisfied
With no loving in our souls and no money in our coats
But Angie, I still love you baby, ev'rywhere I look I see your eyes
You can't say we're satisfied
There ain't a woman that comes close to you, come on baby, dry your eyes
But angie, I still love you, baby...

> Adji Massaid / Mick Jagger

Angelina Sondakh, former Miss Indonesia (in 2001), has made herself look really really stupid.

Cos a while back when she was head over heals in love with fellow celebrity and politician Adji Massaid (both of them are somehow parliament members, stupid I know, but it’s true), she decided to blog about their romance on her blog.

In her now infamous posting, “ADJI MASSAID (The man once I ignored)” she reveals her love for this man.

But she quickly stopped writing about him after he dumped her. And all her readers wanted to know why. But she didn’t want to tell, and so she stopped people from commenting on her blog.

How stupid can you get?

Well, sorry Angie, but he only wanted a bit of fun. And who wouldn’t with a former Miss Indonesia?

Oh, Angie, don't you weep, all your kisses still taste sweet...

Agnis Pratistha: Miss Indonesia 2006!

Lovely Agnis Pratistha of Central Java has been crowned as Miss Indonesia 2006.

As the winner, Agnis will receive Rp20 million in cash, a diamond-studded ring worth Rp15 million, and a Mio Yamaha motorcycle (but why would she need one of those?). She will also have use of a house and a car supplied by the organizers for a period of one year.

So well done Agnis.

Four-Mod thai singer (โฟร์ - มด

Twenty-one-year-old Sakonratt Worn-aurai (Four) and 16-year-old Chutimon Chairat (Mod) are currently at the top of Thailand’s girl-group heap. Since they made their debut two years ago, Four-Mod have been popping up everywhere — on TV, in the papers, on posters and on the radio.

Their bubblegum pop songs are popular in pubs and clubs, encouraging enthusiastic party-goers to get up and dance. The girls are keeping that energy going with their new album 'Wooo!', and a hectic, non-stop schedule. The pair told Student Weekly about their new album, their dramatically changed looks and what it’s like working in Japan.